


Skid Row Rescue

by curiouslyblessed



Category: The A-Team (TV)
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 16:31:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6995893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouslyblessed/pseuds/curiouslyblessed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In 4.05 Murdock mentions knowing what it's like to be on skid row. But how did he go from the row to the VA?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skid Row Rescue

Every morning at two the train rumbled past his lean-to. And every morning at two he awoke in a cold sweat, the sound of artillery fire still pounding in his ears. There was no point in sleep after the dreams, so he always started his day early. Breakfast came from the soup kitchen or the nearby dumpsters--whichever was closest.

This particular morning was no different. He rubbed his hands together as he made his way down the alley toward the soup kitchen. He was in the mood for something warm and it was the only place for miles where you could get a decent handout. Light streamed out of the windows and a neon sign in the window flashed the word "open" every few seconds.

The bell clanked against the door as he entered.

"Good morning, captain!"

"Good morning, Mary."

No matter what time of day Mary was always sitting behind the counter with a book in her hand and a smile on her face. Murdock suspected that she also had a gun under the counter. No doubt for those lonely nights when desperate men wanted more than just a hot meal.

"Your usual, sugar?"

He nodded. "Quiet night?"

"Mostly. We had a few people earlier. You know, the regulars," she ladled chicken noodle soup into a bowl and set it on the counter. "I made with alphabet pasta, just how you like it."

He pushed the letters around with his spoon until they spelled "thank you."

"You're welcome," she laughed. "You know, I don't know what I would do without you coming in every night. You're a bright spot in my day, Captain Murdock," she leaned over the counter and kissed his forehead. "And don't you forget it."

He fiddled with his soup. "Don't worry, Mary, I won't."

"How have your little side projects been going?"

"Pretty well, I guess."

"How is that little girl you met down on first doing these days?"

"Rosie? First off, Mary, she isn't exactly a little girl. Second, well," he stirred at his soup until it spelled "melancholy." "She's in a lot of pain. She needs more help than I can give her."

Mary picked up a frayed dishcloth and started to wipe down the counter. "That's true for so many. All you can do is be a good friend in her time of need and pray. You can always pray."

“Amen, sister.”

“I sense that’s not the only thing on your mind, sugar. What’s wrong?”

“Nothin’ special. I’ve been poorly lately and I guess I’m just tired. Plain and simple.”

Mary put her hands on her hips. “That sounds an awful lot like a lie. What’s wrong, captain? Is it the dreams again?”

Murdock gave an involuntary shudder. For a moment, he could hear the beating of chopper blades and the steady thrum of machine gun fire. He nodded. “I don’t expect they’ll ever leave me.”

“There are places where you could get help. Why don’t you go?”

He didn’t answer her. His soup now spelled “despair.”

“Answer me, HM.”

“Maybe there’s no helpin’ me.”

The bell clanked against the door, announcing another patron.

Murdock slurped at his soup, happy for the distraction.

Mary turned from the counter with a look that said they would be continuing this conversation later. "Hello, this is the Galilee Mission, my name is Mary. How can I help you?"

"I'm here lookin' for a friend."

He stopped cold. He knew that voice. Somewhere out of the fog that clouded his memory, that voice rang loud and clear. It was yelling something, calling him a crazy fool. Pleading for him to... to... His mind snapped into clarity. Pleading with him to land the plane. LAND THE PLANE!

Murdock dropped his spoon. "BA!" he jumped out of his chair and rushed over to his old friend.

BA Baracus grasped him by the shoulders and pulled him into a hug. 

"What have you been doing with yourself, you crazy fool. We've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Everywhere?" he mumbled into BA's chest, trying to avoid being crushed.

"Everywhere, man, we even checked with your grandma down south," he held Murdock at arm's length. "We were worried about you. The last time we saw you was in '72, just before..." he trailed off, frowning. "Well, you know."

Murdock nodded. "I know."

"But what are you doing down here? You look horrible."

"Thanks," he brushed BA's hands off his shoulders. "It comes with bein' homeless."

"Homeless! What kind'a bullshit is that? Why didn't you go to the VA for help?"

"D' you even know how long the waiting list for that place is? And how bad it is once you get in there? No thank you--not for me."

BA grabbed his arm. "Hey, man, we're just trying to help you!"

"We, we, we! That's all you say! What about you, Baracus," he poked his chest, careful to avoid the swath of gold chains. "Do you care what happens to me? You never said one kind word t' me back in 'Nam, so why would you care how I'm livin'?"

BA pushed Murdock into the nearest chair and sat opposite him. "Listen and listen good, fool, because I ain't gonna say this more than once," he put his elbows on the table and leaned in. "I was just a kid back there. We all were, except Hannibal. I was scared stiff of everything--you included. Whenever you started up with that crazy jibber-jabber I never knew what was going t' happen, but I did know it was goin' to be bad. So I yelled at you. Told you to shut your fool mouth before you got us into trouble. It never worked, but it made me feel better about myself. And you know what," he reached forward and laid a hand on Murdock's shoulder. "I was wrong and I'm sorry. I can't promise that I won't yell at you tomorrow or the next day, but I can promise you that I don't mean a word of it."

Murdock cleared his throat. "Gee I-- I never knew. I'm glad you told me, BA. It really means something to know that you care."

"Good, that'll make this easier. I'm takin' you to the VA out in LA."

He shook his head. "No, you aren't," he grinned. "I won't let you."

"Yes you will," BA stood, his chair clattering to the ground. "You're goin' and that's final!"

"Oh yeah, well you'll just have to fight me!"

BA pushed the table out of the way, careful not to upset any of the others. He took a deliberate step forward and swung for Murdock's jaw. Murdock ducked and charged the larger man. His head came in contact with BA's chest, and all the gold necklaces that hung there, and he fell to the floor.

BA sighed and addressed Mary. "Y'know, sometimes I pity this poor fool. All we want to do is help him," he bent down and scooped his fallen comrade up. "There's a spot for him at the VA. He'll have a warm place to sleep at night and he gets the help he needs. We made sure of that."

"Before you go," Mary crossed her arms. "Who is 'we?'"

"The A-Team, ma'am, we always take care of our own."

**Author's Note:**

> Five plus people on Tumblr requested that I write this but it's especially for @lyzaz who private messaged me and told me to write it. Well, here it is.


End file.
